WHO I FISHED WITH: This morning, Wednesday, April 26, I fished with returning guest Ronnie Everett, this time accompanied by four first time guests — Ronnie’s son, Nick, and Nick’s son, Landon, as well as Ronnie‘s son-in-law, Allen Frei, and his son, Everett, made up this three generation trip.
Landon and Everett are nine and seven years of age, respectively, and were real troopers. Neither one whined about the cool, drizzly conditions we faced all four hours, and, when I offered to extend the trip after a pretty slow start, they were ready for more!
Here is how the fishing went…
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PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Allen Frei, Ronnie, Nick, and Landon Everett, and Everett Frei with a few of the white bass they worked for this drizzly spring morning.
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
WHEN WE FISHED: Wednesday, 26 April 2023 (AM)
HOW WE FISHED:
The weather was pretty snotty this morning — a good bit snottier than forecast. The temperature hung right at 66F all morning, with a fine mist falling the entire time. Visibility varied, and the fishing rose and fell as the ambient light level rose and fell.
As was the case yesterday, fish were not all that difficult to find, but, once found, there was no guarantee that they were going to be able to be worked up into a frenzy. In most cases, the fish expressed an initial interest in our baits, and then settled down very quickly. Thus, we had to move frequently to keep fish coming over the side.
We relied on the MAL Heavy Lures with chartreuse tail worked vertically with a smoking tactic to catch the vast majority of our fish this morning. Birds assisted us on two occasions, albeit briefly. These Franklin’s gulls would rest in large flocks out in open water with a few scouts out flying. Once those scouts spotted white bass, and/or hybrid striper hitting shad on the surface, the scout gulls would call to the rest and a brief flurry would take place until the fish settled back down.
After the first round of bird action, we still had plenty of fish around, but they did not show interest in chasing lures, so I actually ran the downriggers for about 20 minutes allowing us two sets of doubles and a handful of singles on #13 Pet Spoons run behind three-armed umbrella rigs. This also allowed for a little variety for my younger two guests.
Our best run of fishing came between 11 and noon, which also coincided with the brightest conditions of the morning. During this time, the two boys and their dads continued working MAL Heavies vertically, while Ronnie and I cast horizontally, working the same bait back to the boat with a sawtooth method . Any fish I hooked I immediately handed off to little Everett.
When all was said and done, we landed 86 fish including two largemouth bass, 12 short hybrid striped bass, and 72 white bass.
Here is a video I put together on the Smoking Tactic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDSvfXgrAUE
And, here is a video I put together on the Sawtooth Method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC3FMEQHOMQ
TALLY: 86 fish caught and released
Find the entire family of MAL Lures here: https://whitebasstools.com/
OBSERVATIONS: Pretty tough fishing on a second day of heavy overcast and easterly winds. Franklin’s gulls showed the way to the best fishing.
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 7:15A
End Time: 12 Noon
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 66F
Elevation: 14.40 feet low, 24 CFS flow, 0.03′ fall over the last 24 hrs.
Water Surface Temp: 65.4F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: ESE11 all morning.
Sky Condition: 100% grey skies all morning with a nuisance drizzle the entire time
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent moon at 37% illumination.
GT = 95
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:
Area 1292 – 11 fish on smoked MAL Heavies (2 hops)
Area 487 – 13 fish on smoked MAL Heavies
Area 845 – 10 fish on smoked MAL Heavies & w/ ‘riggers and Pet Spoons under tentative gulls
Area 2029 – 4 fish on smoked MAL Heavies
Area 187 – 6 fish on smoked MAL Heavies
Area B0004C – 20 fish on smoked MAL Heavies
Area B0031C – 7 fish on smoked MAL Heavies & sawtooth MAL Dense Lures under gulls
Area 714 – 15 fish on smoked MAL Heavies & sawtooth MAL Dense Lures under gulls
Bob Maindelle
Full-time, Professional Fishing Guide and Owner of Holding the Line Guide Service
Belton Lake Fishing Guide, Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide
254.368.7411 (call or text)
Website: www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
E-mail: Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bobmaindelle
Twitter: www.twitter.com/bobmaindelle
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